The Ely councillor said the role played by Llanrumney councillor Joyce within those developments, who stood down as leader in the spring of 2014, should not be forgotten.

'She held the group together'

Coun Joyce became leader after Labour regained controlled of Cardiff in 2012.

“She held the group together. She put everything in place that needed to be done to ensure we could recover,” said the Ely councillor.

“The current position is a Labour group achievement since May 2012. I think we can say we’re proud. I think we need to give credit to our officers because they’re the ones who have come in and they have seen the issues and understood the things that need to be done.

“I think we would have seen the turnaround we have seen now whichever group of politicians were in place. That’s how it happens. Whether Labour or not, for me the decisions that Gordon Brown took led to some of the successes that David Cameron claims are his now.”

“We were concerned about the lack of managerial capability in Cardiff. We suggested and identified many of the problems we were having with schools, education and children’s and social services. We knew we needed a new management team. When we came to office we already had our suspicions things weren’t well. It was quite clear all wasn’t well.”

He says Coun Joyce had taken “bold decisions” to make the “necessary changes” in 2012.

“The heavy lifting was done in the first two years under Heather Joyce.”

'She isn't given the credit'

“Heather didn’t just plant the seeds, she ploughed the fields. She appointed the managers who have watered the seeds since, and we’re seeing green shoots of recovery.

“I don’t think she’s been given the credit.”

Lib Dem Councillor Nigel Howells was a cabinet member under the Liberal Democrat administration.

He said: “It should be remembered that many of the achievements that Labour claim were initiated by the Liberal Democrats when we ran the city.

“The new Ice Arena was conceived under our administration and it is great to see it finally being delivered. Likewise, the indoor surf facility was something I took forward as the Executive Member for Sport, Leisure and Culture. Both of these were in the Destination Action Plan which provides the foundation for many of the development we are seeing today.

“In addition, the Council’s Community Hub Strategy was an agenda we initiated, setting up the pilots in St Mellons and Llanrumney that have successfully led to the creation of others throughout Cardiff.

“Between 2004 and 2012, it was the Liberal Democrats that did so much to take Cardiff forward. We increased funding for schools year on year, took the recycling rate from 14% to 54% and took Social Services out of special measures. And all this whilst having one of the lowest average Council Tax rises in Wales.